PATNA: Bihar’s famous variety of Digah Maldah mango fell prey to political controversy on Wednesday after members of the Bihar assembly were gifted a box of the fruit by the agriculture department as a goodwill gesture to promote mango plantation.
Condemning the gesture, former chief minister and RJD leader Rabri Devi slammed the Nitish Kumar government for gifting the mango baskets and saplings, calling it an 'insult to the souls of children, who had recently died due to AES.' Rabri Devi further added that 'the mangoes carried the curse of all those grieving families who lost their children due to AES.'
Congress leader Prem Chandra Mishra also slammed the Bihar government for gifting the mango basket at a time when the entire state was mourning the AES deaths of innocent kids. The leaders of the opposition collectively refused to accept the gifts and termed the move as ‘inhuman’.
The state agriculture department had arranged the basket with mangoes and saplings for the ministers when a debate on the agriculture budget was in progress in the house. Prem Kumar, state agriculture minister and BKP leader, said that the gift basket was aimed at promoting plantation in the state.